New Leaf Biofuel has reason to celebrate. The southern California biodiesel producer’s 10-year anniversary comes hand-in-hand with a new fuel quality accreditation. Ten years providing environmentally friendly biodiesel, produced from renewable, recycled resources is a significant milestone for the young biodiesel industry.

“New Leaf Biofuel is thrilled to provide cleaner-burning advanced biofuels to the marketplace to help diversify our fuel supply and reduce emissions for 10 years now,” said New Leaf President Jennifer Case. “We are committed to seeing the use of clean, renewable biodiesel continue to grow for years to come.”

Started in 2006, New Leaf Biofuel is a San Diego-based biodiesel production company whose goal is to provide Southern California communities with an environmentally sound vehicle fuel source, produced from renewable or recycled resources, and grown and manufactured in the U.S. All of the fuel they produce is made from recycled cooking oil collected from area restaurants.

New Leaf Biofuel is also celebrating its new recognition as a BQ-9000 producer. BQ-9000 is a voluntary fuel quality program designed to ensure biodiesel is produced and maintained at or above the industry standard. This is a milestone achievement that serves to further New Leaf Biofuel’s efforts to create and provide the highest quality biodiesel available.

“We have always been focused on producing the very best fuel,” said New Leaf Plant Manager Lucas Altic. “The acceptance of New Leaf Biofuel into the BQ-9000 program validates all of our hard work and attention to quality fuel that our team gives every day. Fuel quality is important because it gives our customers confidence that the fuel is going to perform the way it is supposed to every time they turn the key.”

The BQ-9000 program is administered by the National Biodiesel Accreditation Program and is a cooperative and voluntary program for the accreditation of producers and marketers of biodiesel fuel. The program is a unique combination of the ASTM standard for biodiesel, ASTM D6751, and a quality systems program that includes storage, sampling, testing, blending, shipping, distribution, and fuel management practices.

Made from an increasingly diverse mix of resources such as soybean oil, recycled cooking oil and animal fats, biodiesel is a renewable, clean-burning diesel replacement that can be used in existing diesel engines. It is the first and only commercial-scale fuel produced across the U.S. to meet the EPA’s definition as an advanced biofuel—meaning it reduces greenhouse gas emissions by more than 50 percent when compared with petroleum diesel. It is produced in refineries from coast to coast.